How lung airway club cells may help immune therapies work better for lung cancer
Immunoregulatory role of lung-resident club cell factors in lung cancer
This work looks at whether special airway cells called club cells release signals after focused lung radiation that help immune checkpoint drugs work better for people with non-small cell lung cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11286634 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers use mouse models of non-small cell lung cancer and lab-grown club cells to see how low-dose stereotactic radiation changes those cells and the tumor environment. They remove club cells in mice to test whether the radiation-driven boost in immune killing depends on those cells and combine radiation with PD-1/PD-L1 blockade to measure tumor growth and survival. In cell experiments they irradiate club cells and measure inflammatory and interferon-related gene activity with methods like RT-qPCR and transcriptional profiling to identify the key factors produced. The team aims to pinpoint club-cell-derived signals that could be harnessed to make immunotherapy more effective.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with non-small cell lung cancer, especially those being treated with or considered for radiation plus PD-1/PD-L1 immunotherapy, would be the most relevant group.
Not a fit: Patients with unrelated cancer types, non-malignant lung diseases, or those who cannot receive radiation or immune checkpoint therapy may not benefit from these specific findings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could point to new ways to combine targeted radiation or mimic club cell signals to improve responses to immunotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer.
How similar studies have performed: Previous preclinical and some clinical work shows that stereotactic radiation can enhance checkpoint inhibitor effects, but the idea that lung club cells drive this benefit is a novel mechanistic finding.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mittal, Vivek — Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ
- Study coordinator: Mittal, Vivek
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.